I spent some time in the older section of Manassas Park today, and while I was there talking to residents I was stunned at the number of what are essentially houses transformed into apartment buildings. One of those on Lomond Drive in Prince William County has generated an enormous amount of discussion here and the ire of a number of area residents, as well as six different zoning complaints. Of the no fewer than ten of these that I saw on streets near Costello Park, there has been little public comment. Almost all of them are in the final stages of completion, cover at least 80% of the lots on which they are situated, and are monstrosities that deeply concern their neighbors.

Residents can’t imagine how the city’s planning commission could have ever approved these, but never felt that it would be worth their time to voice their concerns to the Manassas Park government. They seem to be so used to the idea that the city government will never be responsive to their concerns that they’ve stopped trying to even ask how these decisions were made. For someone like me whose mental picture of what government is and should be includes active participation by citizens in their government, hearing over and over again that it’s useless to try to ask questions is beyond frustrating.

At one point a police officer stopped me while I was walking between houses and signing up residents for Help Save Manassas, and asked what we were doing. When I explained to him what this was all about, he expressed surprise that we’d be signing up residents in Manassas Park. “You know where you are, don’t you?” he asked, amazed that anyone would either be dumb enough, or bold enough to encourage citizens to be active in the political process. This kind of hopelessness in Manassas Park is depressing.

But the average resident does seem to be fed up, wants to see major changes, and if given some glimmer of hope that citizens who come together in order to demand change might, just possibly might be successful, they’re all for it. The reception I get knocking on doors in Manassas Park is stunning. They want change, but don’t see how to make change happen.

It appears that the best way to deliver on that hope is to start tackling the issue of these houses transformed into apartment buildings. Somewhere along the path of finding out just what in the heck is going on there is bound to be some means of demanding accountability for these incomprehensible decisions, and perhaps even a way can be found to revert these structures into what they’re supposed to be — single family homes. Any success on this front might just inspire a groundswell of residents who may then believe that there’s something they can do to restore the city of Manassas Park into what it used to be, and fend off it’s headlong rush to become a third world country.

The opinions expressed here are solely the views of the author, and not representative of the position of any organization, political party, doughnut shop, knitting guild, or waste recycling facility, but may be correctly attributed to the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy. If anything in the above article has offended you, please click here to receive an immediate apology.

This officer’s comment is very disturbing. I hope this mentality,is NOT the majority of the Park’s Police Dept. and Council. I hope this people get involved and vote. I saw a friend from the Park yesterday, she said her husband had addressed the Council, several times and they just didn’t seem to care. The good citizens of the Park need to register and vote, send a message that they do care and won’t tolerate the conditions any longer.

I’ve tried to post this message several times under Contact Supervisors. for awc****
I’m very glad to see you run voter statistics in the Park, I have a couple of questions, if I may. You’re just the person to answer them.
Is a voter registration drive allowed?
If a drive is allowed, do you think the citizens of the Park would register and vote?
I don’t understand not voting, and never will. Voting is one of many great rights we have, yet not enough citizens exercise this right. People must vote and get involved, if they want change. I pray for change around here all the time, so when HSM, came around I was ready to get more involved in our beloved PWC.
I agree there’s no excuse today and there are many beautiful homes in the Park on both sides of 28. They aren’t the “starter homes”(Park, Westgate and even Sudley), we knew growing up around here. I never thought I would see prices in these once “starter homes”, go to $500K or more in some places, like they did a couple of years ago.

Park’d, I find it abhorrent that you would advocate violence even jokingly.

And if you want to do a voter registration drive in the Park, I don’t see how asking AWC would be helpful. She doesn’t live here. I think there are people here who would be happy to staff a voter registration, especially at the variety of community events in the city. The National Night Out is coming up in about a month. It’s worth doing, but I would think MP Citizens should be out there doing it.

I think the officer’s remark of asking if you know where you are was meant to mean that the park is almost entirely Hispanic now and that going door to door asking people to join HSM is probably not the smartest idea. I equate that almost to the Bruce Willis Die Hard 3 movie where he is forced to go to Harlem wearing a sign that, well, umm…degrades black people. The officer was probably surprised that someone would try to get ANYONE to join HSM from a town that has been utterly taken over by illegal Hispanics.

I also think it is very sad that the council is so apathetic. They can afford to be that way though when most of the town’s inhabitants aren’t eligible to vote.

Anon: Take a deep breath and calm down, breathe, breathe. It was meant to convey their corruption and utter failure as a government to do anything to help the LEGAL citizenry and then to equate that to a biblical punishment. Obviously it was used to display my disgust towards them. Stop trying to spin satire into some twisted reality for your own effect please. Thanks. Carry on.

I think the July 4th Celebration would be an excellent place to start getting people involved in their community. Manassas Park has always had the best event. I know she(AWC) doesn’t live in the Park. I asked her the question because she has worked voter statistics and did NOT ask her to conduct a drive. I would love to hear what anyone has to say about voting in the Park, City or PWC. I’m just amazaed at the number of people that don’t register and then go vote. I don’t live in the Park either, but I do care about what’s going on there and in the City. I could walk to both cities in 10minutes from my house. I bet the criminals, could make the trip even faster than that. It’s very easy to go from one jurisdiction to the next in this part of the county. This overcrowding, crime, etc. is happening everywhere around here.

Do you mean what they used to do in the old days with crooked politicians, “Tar and feather and run them out of town on a rail”.
I suppose the first was to publicly expose and embarass them and the second was to get rid of them. I guess you can’t do that to crooked politicians these days.

I think the Park needs a brand new elected Council. Change starts from the top and the voters need to get involved. Please don’t let my first paragraph insinuate that the Council is crooked. I was just commenting on anonymous’ message.

In November’s election I remember being flabbergasted as I waited to vote that the only people in line were either white or black. If I drive down the street and count 15 out of 20 people as Hispanic and then when I go to vote I do not see a single Hispanic face then I have to say hmmmm. In the last presidential election I did remember seeing some Hispanics at the voting booths, but certainly nowhere near the numbers that I see walking or driving down the streets or hanging out in front of the 7-11. Either they choose not to vote, or they are illegal, neither of which is good for us.

My next door neighbor has a new face moving in at least once a month usually right around sunset. I have also started to notice screen doors being installed on these town homes which goes against the condo association bylaws. Let’s not even get into the trash situation in this development. Sooner or later citizens will reach a breaking point over this issue. I’d say within 2 or 3 years at the most.

Lafayette, your question to me was VERY appropriate (I haven’t quite decided yet if Anonymous is a City Council wolf in sheep’s clothing, or simply naive). I’ve conducted and/or participated in numerous voter registration drives in the past. Of course in those days registering to vote meant actually appearing in front of a Registrar with all your proof of residency and citizenship. It’s much easier nowadays, unfortunately.

Anyway, unless you are going to have a Registrar, or someone qualified to take Voter Registration applications at the actual event, it is much more effective to go door-to-door in a voter registration drive. I would be happy draw up an organization plan for something like that in Manassas Park, along with handouts, etc…and don’t listen to Anonymous. It is true that the object of the exercise is to get Manassas Park residents organized and motivated…but there is nothing wrong with people who do not live in the Park helping. When Manassas Park first became a city and the Republican Committee there was reorganizing, I was requested to come in and work with them on the project (I worked with Bill Wren, Ernie Evans, etc…that first very effective group). I’m sure the City Council and their stooges would be terrified of such a thing.

A few years ago there was a council woman who I believe was conservative. I don’t think she would have let this (illegal alien situation) happen if she were still there. Her name is Adelle. I’m not sure if she still lives in the Park. Its too bad she isn’t still on the council. She would’ve tried to do something. Of course it takes more than one person to effect a change.

To the people of Manassas Park. Call your council. Call, Call, Call. Agitate, Agitate, Agitate. If they will not listen vote them out immediately. Recall them if you need to.

AWC
I too would help the people of the Park. They need help and need it before November. I rember the effective group you speak of. I think most concerned people, can see beyond their front door and it’s painfully obvious others CAN NOT!

What did happen to the Park?
Lafayette, Remember how it was cleary know that THE POLICE DON’T TOLERATE ANYTHING, you had to watch your speed, etc!!! THEY HAD A RESPECTFUL AND WATCH OUT IF YOUR DOING WRONG, REPUTATION~

YES WE NEED TO HELP OUR FELLOW NEIGHBORS IN THE PARK:)
Check out a house on Denver St.,(left off of Manassas Dr) it is almost identical to the house on Lomand that so many of us discussed.

Redawn
I sure remember those days in the Park, rembember 28mph/would most definately land you a speeding ticket and DUI check points weren’t that uncommon. In those days it was still called “DWI”. Oh, I’ve seen the house on Denver, I think there’s 2 houses on Denver.
I couldn’t agree more,WE NEED TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE PARK!! Well, as you’ve read there’s at least one person out there, that thinks you must live in the Park, to help, or ask questions about the Park. I can’t believe this kind of narrow-mindedness. We know the right thing to do is to help the 2cities(Park mostly), these two cities are in PWC. I don’t think it would be right, to not to help our fellow citizens. It’s time to get the citizens of the Park motivated, more involved, and voting. We were taught growing to be a good citizen, help your neighbor, volunteer and our great nation’s flag(flew year round at our houses). It wasn’t until recent years, other country’s flags started flying around here.
People still wave to one another in my neck of the woods, they also honk. My husband was amazed, when he moved here, that people wave and even give a tap on the horn. I told him it’s always been that way around here. You know I do, whenever going past your place.

Layfayette,
You are coorect, there are 2 houses on Denver, not to mention…@least 3/4 vacant / abandoned/ forclosed.
THERE ARE ALOT OF GOOD PEOPLE IN THE PARK AND IT CANNOT BE IGNORED….WE WILL HELP IN ANYWAY!

Layfayette,
There is a house on the corner of Manassas dr and?(first right at the stop sign headed toward 7-11) I have been watching that house expand as OTHERS and this morning on the way to work, saw a proud flying Mexican flag (they may be legal, whatever but why not an American flag if so?
I think EVERYONE, I ASK EVERYONE, PLEASE IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE SO, go get an American Flag and fly it proud, not just for the 4th~

One of the first things a new US Citizens does, is pledge alligiance to our flag(maybe even the first they do, not 100%). Our flag should been flown 365 days a year, not just on Holidays. This would show these illegal invaders, we are the PROUD AMERICANS!!

Just saw one of these apartments listed for sale on homesdatabase.com — 5 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Who the hell is gonna buy that monstrosity–with 1 bathroom? Other than another set of illegal aliens, that is.

By the way, townhouses in Belmont Station have now reached $269K and mine is assessed for $330K.

The root problem to this my fellow citizens, is the construction industry. They provide money to southside Virginia poloticians who help them keep the definition of “family member” broad on purpose. The good old republican bullshit line these people hear during election time is “How unfair it is for poor Aunt Sally not to be able to take care of her Husbands nephew.” That one resonates with the rednecks who run our state and suck us dry of our money. These people don’t give a hoot about our social problems in Northen Virginia. Email the redneck bastards of the house of delegates and ask them for your self. Only when the state law changes can we put a stop to this. In the state of virginia, politicians don’t have to disclose where the money comes from. The local goverments hands are tied. The construction industry wants cheap labor. Imagine if a carpenter had to support his family with rent of a townhouse. The wages would go up. The price would go up stuff is bunk too. The land speculators would not be able to make an outlandish profit as they do now by spreading the cost to the local goverments of cheap labor. Its pure unregulated capitalism at its best and guess what manassas, we have deemed expendable.